In the last few decades, therapeutic intervention within a body cavity or lumen has developed rapidly with respect to delivery of energy via radio frequency ablation. While successful in several arenas, radio frequency ablation has several major downsides, including incomplete ablation, frequent lack of visualization during catheter insertion, potential for overlap during treatment (with some areas receiving twice as much energy as other areas), charring of tissues and requirements for frequent debridement, frequent requirements for additional doses of energy after debridement, and potential perforation of body cavity or lumen due to the rigidity of the RF electrodes.
The current state of the art would benefit from minimally invasive devices and methods which deliver thermal energy to a desired area or extract energy from a desired area, in a consistent, controlled manner that does not char or freeze tissues or create excessive risk of unwanted organ or lumen damage.